In the vehicle driving force control, in general, target (i.e., required) torque requested by the driver is obtained based on accelerator opening, which varies as the driver depresses an accelerator pedal. Based on the target torque, throttle opening, a fuel injection amount, and ignition timing of the engine are controlled. On the other hand, in the vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, torque down control is performed to ease a shift shock caused by shift operation by temporarily lowering engine torque during the shift operation. In the torque down control, output torque of the engine is lowered by calculating a torque down amount and torque down timing and slowing the ignition timing of the engine in the proportion corresponding to a torque down required amount, for example.
The vehicle driving force control device equipped with such engine and automatic transmission is, for example, disclosed in Patent Document 1.
In an engine output control device disclosed in Patent Document 1, an output signal of an accelerator sensor is input to an engine control unit as an accelerator opening signal through an adjusting unit, the engine control unit controls an output state of the engine by actuating an electronic control throttle valve based on the accelerator opening signal, and at that time, correspondence relationship between the output signal of the accelerator sensor and the accelerator opening signal is temporarily changed by the adjusting unit in the course of the gear shift, and the throttle opening of the electronic control throttle valve is reduced by a predetermined width, thereby the engine torque down is carried out and the shift shock in the course of the gear shift of the automatic transmission is reduced.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-119328